fuel gauge problems - dash related...

My fuel gauge is playing up - One minute it has 3/4 of a tank, the next its very empty and the light is on, then soon after its 1/2 full!

The dash was recently taken out to replace some pipes leading to the heater matrix. More recently the transfer box and clutch was taken out.

Given that, is it more likely to be knackered wiring behind the dash or the sensor at the rear?

If it is the dash, and this is what I fear, are there any known failure points for this?

I'm presuming I will have to disconnect the battery and I believe I must be careful not to start the engine when the speedo is disconnected(?)

Are there any gotchas when taking the dash out?

Its turning out to be a busy holiday

Cheers

i never bother disconnecting battery when removing dash,fuel guage issues are usually the sender in the tank ,if sender wire shorts to earth then tank reads full even if empty ,id remove cover plate in boot and try with sender unit out by moving float arm

Sounds like an earth issue with the gauge.

Cool - Now to find the allegedly elusive panel in the boot.
I've never been much of a carpet fitter so I hope this is easier than the bathroom carpet (probably why I was more prepared to take the dash apart!)

Cheers

all comes out easy enough mate only a few screws if i remember correctly

would that be my problem as when i fill my tank needle only goes up to 3 quarters even tho tank is full:bump2:

i had similar problen and it turned out to be a dry solder joint on the bit on fuel pump .. cant remember name but i think its a potometer not that i can spell it .

same as above on mine with dry solder joint. but even that didnt fix it on mine. the circuit board on the sender unit had a tiny crack (seen with a magnifying glass) on one of the electrical pathways. my avo told me it was there but i couldnt see it with the naked eye. my gauge showed empty with the light on all the time. now fixed

hmm sounds more to it than i thought about an hr ago looks like i be in the boot soon so am i right in thinking that its not going to be me who hasnt put the plug on the back of the the clocks properly??

I finally got around to fixing this. It turned out to be the broken solder joint.

I wrote it all up here:

http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f8/fuel-gauge-dropped-179344.html